A time capsule of the greatest financial mania in the history of mankind, told in real-time by regular folks and patriots. May future generations better understand the madness of crowds, and how power and money corrupt.

Don't hold yourself out as financial advisors. Yes, I know, I know. You bought a house in 1998 and its value had doubled by 2004. That doesn't qualify you (or the millions of other homeowners who, at one point, had "doubled their money") to start giving financial advice.

It’s incredible that the 2008 presidential race has come down to tire pressure gages. One candidate thinks we can solve high gas prices if we just inflate our tires properly and release gas from the strategic petroleum reserves, and the other candidate thinks we can solve all our problems by strategically placing a tire pressure gage in the other candidates mouth.

My advice to the NAR and real estate agents? Keep your sense of humor, you’re all going to need it.

1. If you are just in it for the money get out.2. If you never learned anything beyond what you needed to get a license then get your sorry A** out of the business.3. If you are working another job becuase you don't make enough in Real Estate then get out. You are wasting your time, ayour clients time, and giving everyone a bad name.4. If you are a professional, educated yourself and your clients, and invest in your business then you can succeed in helping your clients. Help them, and you will succeed in turn.

Personally, sales are up this year. The market adjustment has created opportunities for buyers/investors. We really needed this correction big time!

Division of labour. Get someone who is the best at doing the little write-ups for houses and have them do that only. Get someone who is the best at taking photos and have them do that only. You can charge a flat fee for each component of the service and then another fee for assembling it.

You can charge another fee per open house that you do. You can charge a fee to negotiate the price with the buyer or the seller.

If you look like Greg Swann get off that Ramen diet. Ramen is full of fat,sodium and carbohydrates with very little nutritional value. Try granola, V8 juice and salad. It's cheap and healthy and you'll start shedding those lbs so you can get a new sales job (not houses)

Remove those magnetic signs or decals that say your a realtor from your car or suv. and if you have a personalized license plate that says something like 1REAGNT etc lose it. Oh and stop passing out those businesscards with you and your wife's photo taken together on them...thats so 2004

There will always be Realtors.Some people will always pay the commissions.Yes, there are a lot of people who take the time to learn and do it themselves. But the vast majority want someone to take their hand and lead them step by step.I think HPers call them "SHEEPLE"?